Adoption Issues: November 2007

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

A Matter of Rights and Roots

Every person born in the U.S. has a birth certificate that names the place, time, and date of birth along with the names of the birth parents. But if a child is adopted, the original birth certificate is changed and the adoptive parents are listed as the birth parents - something this adoptive mom from Iowa struggles to accept.

"Adoption isn't necessarily a beginning or ending for any child. It's part of that child's journey through life. Adopted children have a biological family that will always and inevitably be part of them - whether they know anything about them or not. Family roots run deep, and when adopted children grow up, they should be allowed to get in touch with these roots if they choose."

A child's birth family is not erased or replaced when the child is adopted. And, according to the report referenced in this opinion letter, changes in a child's birth information - and lack of access to the original information - raises "significant civil rights concerns and potentially serious, negative consequences for their physical and mental health."

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Labels: adoption rights, adoptive_parents, birth_parents

Monday, November 26, 2007

States Should Allow Open Adoption

Adopted children should be able to see their birth records and find their birth parents, according to a report from the Evan B. Donaldson Institute, a national not-for-profit organization devoted to improving adoption policy and practice.

The report notes that evidence from the eight states with open adoption laws indicates that the arguments against open adoption records are fallacious. In those states, there has not been an increase or decrease in abortion rates or any evidence that birthparents become distressed when contacted.

"These states' experiences in providing this information make clear there are minimal, if any, negative repercussions," said Adam Pertman, director of the Institute. "The mythology ... is that you should be protecting someone from something. But that's not the reality. Adoptees are not behaving poorly, they're behaving very respectfully, and birth parents do not appear to be a frightened class that wants to hide."

The American Civil Liberties Union and some right-to-life groups have opposed open adoption laws, which are already in place in Maine, Delaware, Alabama, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, Kansas and Alaska.

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Labels: birth_parents, laws, open_adoption

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Court Proceedings Open to the Public

In honor of Michigan Adoption Day on November 20th, seven families agreed to open their court proceedings to the public. Macomb County adoption supervisor Mike Hester said he hoped the open proceedings would draw attention to the needs of the more than 4,000 Michigan children that are currently waiting to be adopted.

"Prior to the proceedings, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Maura Corrigan presented a resolution from the high court commemorating the event. 'In Michigan, we don't want to rest until every child who needs a home has a home,' she said."

Family members and social workers attended the proceedings, offering their support to the adoptive parents.

Labels: awareness, court, open_adoption

Friday, November 23, 2007

Son of My Soul

Best-selling author Debra Shiveley Welch has released a new book to coincide with November's being named National Adoption Month. Son of My Soul tells the story of the adoption of a special needs child and the joy he brings to the lives of those around him.

"President George W. Bush proclaimed on October 31, 2007 that November 2007 was designated National Adoption Month. The President also stated that by accepting the gift of these young children into their lives, parents are helping to contribute to the strength of our nation."

The senior reviewer at Midwest Books called Son of My Soul a "must read" for every adoptive parent.

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Labels: inspiration, love, support

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Dad Gets Nationally Recognized

Stuart Griffiths didn't start out with the intent of adopting. As a history major at Kansas University, he was simply trying to help by picking up a young man at a group foster home and taking him to practice. Now, years later, Griffiths has a degree in social work and has adopted five of 32 kids he's cared for through the Kansas foster care system.

"On October 3, all of the Griffiths family traveled to Washington D.C. where Stuart was presented with the CCAI Angel in Adoption Award. He was accompanied to the ceremony by Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, who said in a press release: 'For over a decade now, Stuart has opened his home and his heart to children in need. His efforts are moving and truly inspiring and I'm pleased to have the chance to honor his caring work.'"

Stuart's life is a busy one, but a good one. No longer a foster care parent, he now focuses all his energy on caring for the five boys have become permanent members of his family.

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Labels: fathers, foster_care, support

Monday, November 19, 2007

Adoption Day Brings Thanks

Monday, November 19th is National Adoption Day; a day specially designated to raise awareness about the more than 114,000 children who reside in the foster care system, several hundred of which are available for adoption every year.

"For the last eight years, National Adoption Day has made the dreams of thousands of children come true by working with courts, judges, attorneys, adoption professionals, child welfare agencies and advocates to finalize adoptions and find permanent, loving homes for children in state protective custody."

This will be only the second year that National Adoption Day is celebrated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Last year, more than 250 events were planned and over 3,300 adoptions were finalized.

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Labels: advocacy, awareness, foster_care

Friday, November 16, 2007

Adopting and Adapting

The decision to adopt is not the end of a process, but the beginning of one - as many adoptive parents will agree. They will also agree that finalizing the adoption and taking a child into their home is not the end - but the beginning - of another process; one of adaptation.

"It sounds easy intellectually, but in the real world, it's human beings developing trust and confidence in each other,' Willie [Jones- an adoptive parent] said. Tapping counselors, social workers and doctors is crucial, they added. "You want to think all these kids need is love, but they need a whole lot more too,' Pam [Jones] cautioned."

Though the adjustment can be tough, most adoptive parents will agree that it's worth the struggle.

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Labels: adapting, adoption_process, support

Monday, November 12, 2007

"Who" is More Important Than "Where"

Recently, an Ohio newspaper received a letter from a reader upset by the fact that the newspaper had "advertised" a child from Texas who was in need of adoption. Columnist Ann Fisher published her response in today's Columbus Dispatch.

"...you'll find no apologies in this corner as advocates for Estevan continue the search for the right family so he can live near his three sisters, who were adopted [by a couple] in New Albany. And by the way: The column wasn't an advertisement, it was a plea. Estevan is a child, not chattel."

Fisher goes on to remind people that location is far less important that suitability when searching for the right adoptive family. There's no competition between states or countries, only a need to place children in the right homes, with loving families.

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Labels: adoptive_families, location, services

Friday, November 09, 2007

Locating a Birth Mother

Until recently, a child who was adopted internationally had little or no opportunity to locate his or her birth mother. Today, that opportunity exists thanks to the emergence of "searchers" who help locate international birth mothers.

"Deciding whether or not to initiate the search is not easy. While there are a multitude of heartwarming stories, there are also others, where alcoholism was rampant in the family or where the birth mother abused the child."

There's also a possibility that a birth mother will ask for financial support or ask the adoptive parents to adopt another child. There are risks involved in initiating a search for a child's birth mother, and they should be carefully considered. There is also, however, the potential for a heartwarming reunion.

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Labels: birth_parents, international, services

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Small Danish Island Boasts High Adoption Rate

The Faroe Islands is a small Danish territory made up of 18 islands between Scotland and Iceland, and has a population of just over 48,000 people. Despite its small size, it has the highest adoption rate - in proportion to population - in the world.

"A dozen adoptions a year may not sound like much. In relative terms however, it amounts to four times more than in France or Denmark, according to official statistics from those countries... 'Everybody wants to have children here,' says [Heoein] Poulsen, who heads a support group for parents hoping to adopt."

Adopted children in the Faroe Islands come from Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Ethiopia, India, South Africa, South Korea and Vietnam. Though incredibly multi-ethnic, many people say their adopted children have been accepted by others with open arms.

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Labels: rates, statistics, support

Monday, November 05, 2007

Understanding the History of Adoption

Adoption as it exists today is relatively new. Though adoption, in some form or another, has been around for thousands of years, it was primarily used as a means of continuing male lineage, and little attention was paid to the adoptees care.

"In contrast, modern adoption laws and practices aim to promote child welfare and are regarded as an integral part of government efforts to protect the interests of the young."

Adoptions became more widespread following World War I, as the number of orphaned children increased dramatically. The rules governing adoption have continued to change, with more restrictions in some areas and less in others. For instance, though trans-racial adoptions were strongly opposed in the 1970s, they have now become common.

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Labels: adoption_laws, heritage, history

Friday, November 02, 2007

Guatadopt.com Works to Present Truth

The sensational stories surrounding Guatemala and its adoption processes could lead people to believe that all adoptions which take place in that country are, on some level, corrupt. In an attempt to distinguish reality from the sensational, Kelly Caldwell launched a website called Guatadopt.com. Kevin Kruetner is now the group's spokesperson and lead writer.

"I don't think the media is very balanced. They tend to show sensationalized stories and worst of all, they never seem to devote enough time to really understand the dynamics. But when a reporter is given two days to pump out a piece, what can we expect to happen?"

Kruetner urges people to remember that the vast majority of Guatemalan adoptions are legitimate, and even the stories of corruption often don't tell the full story.

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Labels: adoption_policy, international, laws